Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-06-04
CHAPTER XIV.


JU1N ~ HE hNtoSIt
The important domestic events described
in the last chapter took place on Dec. z, 1850,
and for the next twelve days or so every
thing went as happily at Mooifontein az
things should go under the circumstances.
Every day Silas Croft beamed with a more
enlarged geniality in his satisfaction at the
turn things had taken, and every day John
found cause to congratulate himself more
and more on the issue of his bold venture to
ward matrimony. Now that he came to be
on such intimate terms with his betrothed, he
perceived hundred charms and graces in
her character which he had never suspected
before Bessie was like a flower; the more
she basked in the light and warmth of her
love the more her character opened and un-
folded, shedding perfumed sweetness round
her and revealing unguessed charms. 1t is SO
with all women, and more especially with
woman of her stamp, whom nature has
made TO love and be loved as maid
and wife and mother. Her undoubted
personal beauty also shared in this
development, her fair face taking richer
hue and her eyes an added depth and mean
ing She was in every respect, save one, all
that Il man could desire in his wife, and even
the exception was one that would have stood
to her credit with most men. IL was this:
she was not an intellectual woman, although
she certainly possessed more than the ordi-
nary share of intelligence aud work a day
COMMON sense. Now John was a decidedly
intellectual man, and, what is moro, he highly
appreciated that rare quality in the other
sex. But, after all, when one is just engaged
to a sweet and lovely woman, one does not
think much about her intellect. Those sort
OF reflections come aftcrward
And So they sauntercd band in hand
through the sunny days and were exceedingly
happy. Least OF all did they allow the ru-
mors which occasionally reached them from
the great Boer gathering at Paar,le kraal TO
disturb their serenity. There had been so
many of these rumoIs Of rebellion that folk
were getting to regard them as a chronic
state of affairs.
oh, the Bocrsl' said Bessie, with a pretty
toss of her golden head, as they were sitting
one morning on the veranda I'm sick to
death IF hearing about the Beers and all their
got up talk, know what it Is; il is just an
excuse for them TO 90 away from their farms
and wives and children and idle about at
these great meetings, and drink square face
with their mouths full of big words. You
see what jess says in her last letter People
in Pretoria believe Chat it is all nonsense from
beginning 10 cnd, and think they are per
fectly right
BY the way, Bessie, asked John, "have
You written to jess telling her of our engage
mcutg'
oh, Yes | wrote some days ago, but the
letter only went yesterday. She will he
pleased TO hear about it. Dear old jess,
wonder when she means TO come home again
She has been away long enough"
Juhn made no answer, but went on smoking
his uipe in silence wondering If jess would
he pleased. He did not understand her yet
She had gone away just as he was beginning
to understand her
Presently he observed Jamie sneakng
about between the orange trees as though h,
wished to call attention to himself Had HI
not wanted to do so he would have moved
from one to the other i'll such a way tina
nobody could have seen him. Hispartial an(
| desultory appearances indicated that be wa
Oil view.
Come out of those trees, you little rascal
and stop slipping about like a snake i'll a ston,
wall " shouted John. what is it you wan
wages n
Thus adjured, jamie advanced and sa
down on the path as usual, i'll the full glare o
the sun.
mo, haas, he said, 2" it Is not wages. The1
| are not Que yet"
"What Is 1t them"
No, baas, it is this. The Beers havt
declared war on the English government, ant
| they have eaten up the rooibaatjes at Bron
ker's SprJlit, near Middelburg. 'Joubert sho
them all there the day before yesterday"
"Whatw shouted John, letting his pipe fal
in his astonisllmcnt 'Stop, though. tina
must be Il lie You say near MiddelburG, tn
day before yesterday; that would be Dec. 20
| When did You hear this"
AT daybrcak, baas. A Dasutu told me-"
"Then there is an end of it. The new
could not have got here in thirty eight hours
| What do you mean by coming to me witt
such a tale!"
| The Hottentot smiled 1T is quite true
baas Bad news flies like a bird" and h
picked himself up and Slipped off to hi
work.
Notwithstanding the apparent impossibilit,
Of the thing, john was considerably dis
turhed, knowing the extraordinary spec,
with whicl,news does travel among katlirs
| more swiftly, indeed than the swiftes
| mounted messenger can bear it. Leaving
Bessie, who was also somewhat alarmed, b
went i'll search of Silas Croft. and, findin
| him III the garden, told him what Jamie ha,
said, The Old man did not know what t
make of the tale, but, remembering Fran
| MuIIer'S threats, he shook his head.
If there is any truth in it that villain Mul
Ter has a hand in it, ;" he SAID. an go to tn
| house and sec Jantjc. Give me your arm
| john
| He obcYed, and, on getting to the top O
the steep path, perceived the stout figure Q
| cid Hans Coetzce, who had been his host a
the shooting party, ambhng along on his ia
| little pony.
| "Ah," said old Silas. "here is the man VIII
viii tell us if there is anything in it all"
"Good day, ON Coetzee, good day. h
shouted out in his stentorian tone. "Wha
news do you bring with you"
The jolly looking Boer rolled awkward
| of his pony before answering, and, THROWN
the reins over its head, came TO meet them.
"Allemacbter, Oiu SilaS, it is bad new,
| You have heard Of the bymakaar injecting
at Paarde kraal. Frank Muller wanted III
| to 60, but / would not, and now they hav
| declared war on the British government, an
| sent Il proclamation to Lanyon. There wi
be fighting, ON Silas; the land will run wit
blood, and the poor rooibaatjes will be she
down like buck"
Tho poor Beers, YOU mean," growle
! .iphu who did not like IN hear hn,. mn is,at U